Letter from the Editor: Will these athletes ever learn?

Thursday

Aug 16, 2012 at 3:00 PMAug 16, 2012 at 3:05 PM

The most recent news for athletes came last week in a double dose with Tyrann Mathieu getting kicked off the LSU Tigers football team, and Miami Dolphins player Chad Johnson being cut after a domestic abuse incident with his wife Evelyn Lozada.I must admit I was devastated to hear the news about Mathieu, my phone lit up from others asking if I’ve heard the news and if I had spoken with him. It took me several hours to respond back to everyone because I had to first bring myself back to reality and wait for more information. Rumors surfaced the Internet and social networks were blowing up and hours later, still nothing from Mathieu.

Allison B. Hudson

The most recent news for athletes came last week in a double dose with Tyrann Mathieu getting kicked off the LSU Tigers football team, and Miami Dolphins player Chad Johnson being cut after a domestic abuse incident with his wife Evelyn Lozada.

I must admit I was devastated to hear the news about Mathieu, my phone lit up from others asking if I’ve heard the news and if I had spoken with him. It took me several hours to respond back to everyone because I had to first bring myself back to reality and wait for more information. Rumors surfaced the Internet and social networks were blowing up and hours later, still nothing from Mathieu.

Reports stated that Mathieu failed his third drug test and that was the reason being kicked off the team. My thoughts, he as a young man should be held accountable for his actions, however after failing a third drug test, he must have a problem “addiction” that he is not aware he has. Everyday people struggle with various types of addiction, and some never get help because they do not feel it is a problem. Food addictions, prescription pill addictions, drug and alcohol addictions, they come in different forms. Like I said previous, he has to be held accountable for his actions and mistakes, but I do feel at some point someone should have pointed out to him that he may indeed have a problem and help was needed. Now, we don’t know if help was actually given to him or even offered, but there hasn’t been any report stating if help was offered or it wasn’t.

Now Mathieu, also known as the “honeybadger,” has failed his fans and those young men who look up to him. Will it go away? Yes, because the spotlight will soon be turned on someone else.

Chad Johnson was arrested for head-butting his wife Lozada after an argument over dinner last Saturday evening. Sunday morning headlines read, “Johnson released from the Dolphins team.” Was it surprising? No, not at all. If you have been following sports, Head Coach Joe Philbin stated,” I don’t think Johnson is a good fit for the organization.” It is no surprise that Johnson has anger issues and has had previous incidents with the law regarding his ex-girlfriend and other matters. Not only has Johnson lost more than his spot on the team, but much more. Johnson and his new wife were set to appear in a reality series on VH1, they also announced that they would not air the show almost immediately after the arrest was made. In disbelief, that was a surprise to me. VH1 has been known to show what I like to call “yellow journalism” episodes of women fighting, trashy relationships, and drama that has America glued to its station, so that news was shocking to me.

Maybe it’s just me, but it may be a smart idea to get these athletes some help to assist in channeling their anger issues and starting at the collegiate level. Incidents like these happen on a daily basis, the only difference in these two cases is that they are both high-profiled athletes. How would this be handled differently if they were both just your regular ‘Joe Blow’ in the community? What are your thoughts on the incidents?